Robert Jordan

Okay, So it's not really a gay topic, but prolific author Robert Jordan passed away this last weekend leaving millions of readers saddened and frustrated. He was in the process of writing the twelth and final volume of his epic, "The Wheel of Time".

For those of you unaware, he began writing this series in the 90s. He produced and amazing trilogy that could have easily gone down as important to the fantasy genre as The Lord of the Rings, then he decided there was more story to write, so he began to expand.EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER the three main characters ran into became important enough, that we had to follow that story as well. His first book covered almost a year in the life of these characters. The last one I believe was around a month, because there were so many characters to follow.He made us love them, then abandoned us to write the first volume of a prequel trilogy.

He was an amazing write, and filled a world with a history as lively as anything you can find in a history book. It's a serious tragedy...and I agree. I just hope he left good notes, or was almost finished!

I actually preferred that first novel of the prequel trilogy to many of the latter volumes of the main series, but I'm sure that's probably because Moiraine was one of the more interesting characters he had developed. Also, because while the main series started out strong, it got very weak in the middle.

He discussed his plans for the rest of the series with his wife, and left her his notes, so hopefully it'll be finished.

Truth to be told, I felt that Jordan created a fantastic world, but wasn't all that good at telling the story set within that world. I feel it would have been much better if, say, he had collaborated with George R R Martin, with Jordan designing the world, and Martin telling stories set in that background.

I don't know Jordan's work, but I'm getting a little disillusioned with posthumous works, and even with trilogies that won't die. For example, Frank Herbert could just as well have left Dune at three or four volumes. The posthumous volumes (allegedly from his notes) that I've read are really weak. I'd prefer it if each volume really stood on its own. In fact, it really torques me off when the pages in my right hand are dwindling alarmingly, while the plot shows no sign of resolution. AAARRGGHH! Not another trilogy! Or worse "book one in the XXXX Cycle."

Jordan was an irritating, talentless hack who got famous on stolen ideas and tripe.

Ahem.

The man didn't have a unique idea in his life. Every character and concept was stolen from Tolkein (mostly) or other common folklore and mythology. By later books even his NAMES were directly ripped off.

And he couldn't write to save his life. Long winding sentences with no particular point or purpose, characters doing banal activities, and a cast so large it bogs down everything do not a good writer make.

"A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: the hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man."

Concisely every fantasy story ever told...yes, it's spun different ways, and written from odd perspectives with unique characters and fun studd like that, but in general, they are all the same.

Although I regret hearing of Jordon's death, I am SO glad that I never picked up that series! I vowed not to pick it up until the whole series had been finished, just in case something like this would happen. If it's one thing that drives me crazy, it's getting emotionally involved in something that doesn't have closure.

Well, I hadn't heard yet, so I'm pretty saddened. I've definitely read all the works more than once and love all of it from the Aiel honor code to the rebel white tower politics. Of course I was frustrated when things were slow moving or got to vast to be managed but the world he weaved (ha!) left so many areas for the imagination. I hope someone makes him an 'ogier sung wood' memorial to commemorate his work. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion but what is the largest project you have undertaken and how many lives did it involve, and did you do it all alone? His wife should take her time and find a really terrific author to help conclude the story, if he ever got that far. It was clear that he loved developing characters and not concluding them, even the dead ones had more story later.

and yet the recurring theme in Wheel of Time is the constant repitition of people and events. Thats why I always thought the names were so similar, as are the events. Arthur Hawking = Pendragon = King Arthur = Rand al Thor

The hardest for me was keeping track of all the Aes Sedai, a lot of them have very similar names and after about book 6 they're just randomly everywhere in the world, some of them you haven't heard about for the last two books. I had to start taking notes. Loial and Perrin are my two favorite characters, I think I relate most to them.